Hatch cover and linkage therefor



R. Z. ALDECOA HATCH COVER AND LINKAGE THEREFOR Filed Oct. 51, 1963 Aug. 23, 1966 E 3,267,991 Ce Patented August 23, 1966 3,267,991 HATCH COVER AND LINKAGE THEREFOR Ramon Zubiaga Aldecoa, Las Arenas, Guecho, Vizeaya, Spain, assignor to Consulmar S.A., Panama, Panama, a Panamanian corporation Filed Oct. 31, 1963, Ser. No. 320,337 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Dec. 3, 1962, 45,631/ 62 Claims. (Cl. 160-206) This invention relates to hatch closures and more particularly to hatch closures of the type comprising a cover in the form of coplanar cover sections which can be moved by means of links to one end of the closure for opening the hatch.

As far as the inventor is aware the closest prior art to the invention, about to be explained, is described in Specification 2,771,136. In this hatch cover, as applied to a railway truck, the hatch cover sections are connected together by means of links. However in this prior arrangement the links are not actually interconnected, that is to say each link is only connected with two adjacent catch cover sections.

In my invention, however, I employ a different principle in so much as the links form two chains to which each cover section is pivoted at two points only. One particular advantage of such a system is that the cover sections can pivot in relation to the links without moving the links.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

One embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the attached drawing.

FIGURES 1 and 2 are side views of the hatch cover during closing and opening respectively.

FIGURES 3 and 4 are views taken on the lines IIIIII and IV-IV of FIGURE 2.

The cover sections 2 are carried on a frame or coaming 1 by rollers (not shown) so that they may travel in a direction parallel to the plane of FIGURE 1. These rollers have resilient suspensions so that the sections may be clamped down against the coaming, by means not shown, for sealing the hatch. Also means are provided for clamping the sections 2 together so that water can not pass between them. The cover sections 2 have pairs of lateral rollers 5 for engaging ramps and suspending the sections from the ramps in the stowed position to the left of the coaming. The axles of the rollers 5 are connected by pairs of links 3 and 4 pivotally joined by pins 16. The links are prevented from folding upwards by projections 7 while folding downwards is controlled by skids 6 engaging secondary ramps 12.

During their passage from right to left during opening of the hatch cover, each skid 6 passes first over an inclined face 12a of ramp 12, then along a level face 12b, then down a gently sloping face 120, along a further level face 120! and finally down an abruptly sloping face 12a. The level faces 12d prevent sections rubbing together during opening.

Opening and closing are effected by pulling on ropes 19 and 20 respectively. During opening, pushing forces between the sections 2 are transmitted by abutments 2' and by the links 3 and 4. The rollers 5 first run up concave faces 10a of the ramps 10 and then run along their level top faces 10b.

In order to provide for a smooth and quiet opening of the cover, the joints between links 3 and 4 can include friction discs 17 whose braking action can be regulated by nuts 18. These discs are specially effective on the joints which lie furthest from the ramps 10 when the cover is closed.

Skids 6 can be replaced by rollers.

I claim:

1. A hatch and cover assemblage for a deck comprising substantially rectangular frame means defining a hatch opening having opposite sides and ends in the deck, a similar ramp on each opposite side outwardly of the hatch opening including a portion sloping upwardly in a direction away from one end of the frame means and a planar portion located at a stowage space provided beyond said one end of the frame means, a plurality of coplanar hatch cover sections adapted to cover the hatch opening and supported on the opposite sides of the frame means, a wheel on each side of each cover section adapted to travel along said ramps, a chain arrangement operably related to each side of the cover sections, said chain arrangement comprising a plurality of pairs of elongated links, one link of each pair having pivotal connections to a cover section at one end and to one end of the other link of such pair at the opposite end, respectively, the opposite end of said other link being pivotally connected to the next cover section, and means associated with the pivotal connection between the opposite ends of each pair of links for limiting the pivoting of the links in relation to each other so that the chain arrangements can transmit pushing forces when the cover sections are moved from the closed position on the hatch opening to the stowage space during travel of the wheels on the cover sections along said ramps.

2. The hatch and cover assemblage as claimed in claim 1 in which the means associated with the pivotal connection between the opposite ends of each pair of links prevent upward pivotal movement of the links.

3. The hatch and cover assemblage as claimed in claim 2 including a second similar ramp on each opposite side outwardly of the first named ramp and additional means operably related to the pivotal connection between the opposite ends of each pair of links cooperable with said second named ramps for preventing downward pivotal movement of the links.

4. The hatch and cover assemblage as claimed in claim 1 in which the pivotal connection between one end of the link of each pair and the cover section is operably related to the axle of the wheel on the side of the cover section.

5. The hatch and cover assemblage as claimed in claim 1 including a friction brake related to the means associated with the pivotal connection between the opposite ends of each pair of links for limiting the pivoting of the links in relation to each other for ensuring a smooth closing of the cover sections.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,945,729 2/1934 Callender l60206 2,717,033 9/1955 Breslow et al -199 2,732,893 1/1956 Harris 160-84 2,771,136 11/1956 Lecomte 160206 X 2,940,410 6/1960 Meek 160201 X 3,111,704 11/1963 Johnson 16-138 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,309,828 10/ 1962 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiner.

D. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A HATCH AND COVER ASSEMBLAGE FOR A DECK COMPRISING SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR FRAME MEANS DEFINING A HATCH OPENING HAVING OPPOSITE SIDES AND ENDS IN THE DECK, A SIMILAR RAMP ON EACH OPPOSITE SIDE OUTWARDLY OF THE HATCH OPENING INCLUDING A PORTION SLOPING UPWARDLY IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM ONE END OF THE FRAME MEANS AND A PLANAR PORTION LOCATED AT A STOWAGE SPACE PROVIDED BEYOND SAID ONE END OF THE FRAME MEANS, A PLURALITY OF COPLANAR HATCH COVER SECTIONS ADAPTED TO COVER THE HATCH OPENING AND SUPPORTED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FRAME MEANS, A WHEEL ON EACH SIDE OF EACH COVER SECTION ADAPTED TO TRAVEL ALONG SAID RAMPS, A CHAIN ARRANGEMENT OPERABLY RELATED TO EACH SIDE OF THE COVER SECTIONS, SAID CHAIN ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF ELONGATED LINKS ONE LINK OF EACH PAIR HAVING PIVOTAL CONNECTIONS TO A COVER SECTION AT ONE END AND TO ONE END OF THE OTHER LINK OF SUCH PAIR AT THE OPPOSITE END, RESPECTIVELY, THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID OTHER LINK BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE NEXT COVER SECTION, AND MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PIVOTAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF EACH PAIR OF LINKS FOR LIMITING THE PIVOTING OF THE LINKS IN RELATION TO EACH OTHER SO THAT THE CHAIN ARRANGEMENTS CAN TRANSMIT PUSHING FORCES WHEN THE COVER SECTIONS ARE MOVED FROM THE CLOSED POSITION ON THE HATCH OPENING TO THE STOWAGE SPACE DURING TRAVEL OF THE WHEELS ON THE COVER SECTIONS ALONG SAID RAMPS. 